October 22, 2005
Skype Filtering Technology
Verso Technologies announced a Skype filter:
Verso Introduces Carrier Grade Skype™ Filtering Technology
The announced network "filter" would enable ISPs to control the kind of content that may be conveyed through the networks they own (and "lease" to their customers).
Who could possibly feel threatened by Skype? Skype is relatively low bandwidth. I don't know for sure, but I would guess that Skype uses less than 64 kbs. Besides, with Skype being free, one would think that ISPs would tout Skype as a feature, like email, blogging tools, etc. It seems odd that Verso would advertise that the product is targeted at Skype, when there are worse applications from the perspective of an ISP.
The whole issue of ISPs policing the use of their networks -- allowing some applications and disallowing others -- is controversial. Don't expect anything Draconian from the ISPs. They would never get away with blocking applications willy nilly. For example, a cable internet service provider like Comcast, which charges $55 per month and offers 3 Mbs downstream, would never get away with blocking Skype. However, we should expect situations where the ISP makes a stonger case in favor of blocking. Consider an MVNO (mobile virtual network provider) that would like to provide basic wireless email access, in the model of the Blackberry, that wants to block Internet phone calls.
Posted by Doug Sauder at October 22, 2005 11:11 AM